Second Chances
by SansaandWinterfell
Summary: It's been four years since Sansa had seen Jon Snow. So of course he would show up at the family cabin two days before Christmas. She and Arya do some last second Christmas shopping.


So I did this one for the GameofShips challenge on tumblr, and am finally posting it on here. The prompt was gift giving.

Arya rarely shrieked; that was a reaction reserved for Jeyne or Randa. It made Sansa curious, but not enough to stop her wrapping. She was more behind on her christmas preparations than she would like. Usually she had all gifts wrapped before they boarded the plane to Aspen, this year she had fallen behind.

Bran was the easiest for her to buy for. She had found a book months ago that she read when she was younger and wrote a lovely little note in the front; then made little notes throughout the book about things she remembered from it. Robb mentioned last Christmas needing a new set of gloves, goggles, and boots, he would be surprised that she remembered, his favorite kind of gift. Rickon was enamored with monster trucks she had found a place near home where she would sit through the spectacle for him.

There were heavy footsteps following Arya around. Had Gendry shown up early? Sansa couldn't imagine that would elicit a shriek. She turned back to her task. Arya's gift was expectedly difficult. The longer she looked at the tea set the sillier she felt, she had come across it in an antique store and it reminded her of the one they used to play with as girls. Christmas Eve was tomorrow, she would have to decide whether or not to invest in a new gift soon.

The two sets of feet were stomping up the steps _strange_, Sansa thought, _it's only bedrooms upstairs_. She and Arya had rooms across from one another. Arya used to stay in the adjoining room when they were girls, but stopped a few years ago claiming Sansa hogged the bathroom. As girls they would have sleepovers, their mother would pretend to be upset that they were exhausted every morning. Sansa knew she was pretending because in the years since when she and Arya would fight she would take a true temper.

"Sansa," her door flew open. Quickly she shoved the tea set under her bed, "Jon's here!" So he was, Jon was taller than he was the last time she saw him. His hair longer, but his smile was the same.

"Hi Sansa," deeper voice but the same shy undertone. Her heart was pounding from the shock of hiding the gift so quickly, it wasn't because Jon Snow was nearly in her bedroom, that would be silly.

"Jon," should she hug him? Would that be ok? Would he think it was awkward? How did she look, why didn't Arya knock? She stood up brushing her leggings off, "hi," she chanced a quick hug. "I didn't know you were going to be here."

"I just found out yesterday," he still could have let her know. "You look nice."

"Thanks," she knew she was turning red. Arya was looking at her questioningly. The door downstairs opened and the sound of everyone walking inside carried upstairs.

"I should go see everyone else," Jon said, mostly to her.

"Of course," her voice was softer. "I'll be down too, I just want to finish-" she gestured to the gifts behind her. He nodded and Arya made to follow him. Sansa startled when she paused.

"We're talking about this later." _of all the times for her to want to talk about boys_. Sansa looked to the tea set haphazardly under her bed, she still had time. _I have to find a gift for Jon too_.

Rickon was talking happily to Jon, eager to have a near-stranger in his midst. She dropped a kiss onto Bran's head, he smiled at her. "How were the hills?"

"Good, I made my best time yet." He smiled proudly, and she felt herself mirroring it; Bran was still adjusting to his chair, she wondered if he always would be. "Dad ran into Mr. Baratheon," Of course, she tried to keep her face neutral. "They talked for a while, then Rickon tried to throw a snowball at him," she tried not to smile at that. "I'm glad Jon's here." She nodded. Jon leaving had left a strange emptiness in the Stark home.

Dinner was a loud affair, Arya had been cooped up all day, recovering from a cold. The excitement of vacation always made Bran more active, he alternated between eating and rolling his chair back and forth; Rickon was seven which was enough of an excuse, he wasn't throwing his food, which was better than usual. Robb was reminiscing with Jon in his booming voice, and Jon joined in the nostalgia in a softer voice.

Sansa pushed her peas around her plate, listening. The last time all eight of them had been together was the day before Jon left. It had been four years, Sansa was getting ready to graduate from high school, dating Joffrey, and she felt like she was dying inside. Arya gave Sansa a sharp kick jarring her, "is your chicken ok honey?" Her mom asked patiently, she must have asked at least once before.

"It's great mom," she looked at her plate, more food remained than she thought. "I'm just trying to listen to everything, it's been a while since all of us have been together." Her mom could take that however she wanted to, it had been a few months since Arya and Robb had been at a dinner table together. Her mom nodded, approving of the answer. Jon was smiling at her answer, in that shy way that made her nervous he could see her heart beating in her throat.

Dinner had ended as harmlessly as it started and Sansa made her way up the stairs to her room, Arya had grabbed her arm and pulled her into her room instead. "I can't believe you slept with Jon!" she exclaimed before the door had been fully shut, throwing herself on her bed.

She couldn't deny it, especially not with the blush spotting her chest. "Is it that obvious?" she reclined beside her sister, hoping that her soft tone would encourage Arya to take the same.

"I don't think anyone else knows if that's what you're asking." Arya said, "you'd better start explaining. He's practically our brother!"

"Jon was Robb's best friend, he was practically your brother. It was never like that with us." Sansa explained, "it was right before he left. I didn't want Joff to be my first, I know you know why, Jon wasn't going gossip about it, and even if he would he wasn't going to be in town to spread the word." Sansa sighed. "After he left, I don't know maybe I just didn't feel like I got closure. We started texting a little bit, but then it just kind of tapered off."

"So you like him?" Arya liked things to be black and white. Good guys, and bad guys, she always had a hard time accepting that things could be grey too.

"I don't know, maybe. We haven't talked in nearly three years, he could be a completely different person. He could be dating someone!" Sansa said.

"You're being stupid," Arya said matter-of-factly. "Boys don't look at girls the way he looked at you tonight if they have a girlfriend." Arya had shrugged. "And as a favor to you I will help you find a gift for him."

"Arya," Sansa began. These were the moments she missed.

"And you'll help me figure out what to get Gendry because shopping for him is nearly impossible." Ah, the silver lining.

When she returned to her room the light to the adjoined bathroom was on, when she and Arya had shared sometimes Arya left the light on to pretend she was in the bathroom for longer, so Sansa couldn't get in. She knocked lightly and the door opened. "I'll be out of the way in a second," Jon said as he went back to the far sink. He was barefoot and in a t-shirt and flannel pants, his glasses were on the counter.

"Take your time. There's plenty of room," her voice was higher than normal. This was going to be a long vacation.

She helped her mom make breakfast, pancakes for eight was not an easy feat. "Would you mind if Arya and I took the car into town today?"

"You've hardly hit the hills yet Sansa, you can go shopping any time."

"It's for last minute gifts, today's the last day we can. Please mom." she could see her mom cracking.

"When you get home, you girls start cooking dinner. And you can't be gone all day, isn't Arya's boyfriend getting in at two?" She gave her mom a quick hug.

"We'll be quick! And start on dinner straight away!" She bolted up the stairs to change, she gave Arya a quick shake. "Mom has breakfast ready, we have to go soon," once she saw Arya open her eyes she took to her room and started getting ready.

They were in the Range Rover soon enough, Sansa at the wheel and Arya complaining about her driving. Sansa hadn't truly spent so much time with her sister in years, once they got into town Sansa parked and they began to walk the strip. "Do you have any idea what you want to get Gendry?"

"I'll know it when I see it," Arya assured her as they walked into an antique store. Sansa loved shopping for antiques, there was something so romantic about the old designs, she loved the jewelery and the thought that someone could have been at their happiest when they wore it. Antiques came with built in memories, they would either add to the happiness or have a fresh start.

"Maybe you could just buy him a twleve pack of beer, and I'll pay you for it." Arya mused as they picked through glassware. Sansa must have looked appalled by the idea. "Not cheap beer, like the good stuff."

"Arya, he's been your boyfriend for two years, I don't think beer is a sufficient gift." Sansa understood why Arya needed her. Arya would give gifts based solely on practicality, but Sansa needed help too for she would give gifts based on sentiment.

"Why don't you give him this?" Sansa had found a flask buried in the back of the shelf. She thought it had a nice textured design on it. "On second thought…"

"It's perfect!" Arya grabbed it from her. "Everyone calls him the bull, he'll love this!" She turned to Sansa, "my shopping is done!"

"Why don't we get him something to put in there as well," Sansa reasoned. "That would make it a whole gift." Arya agreed to the addition quickly before she began to shop around for a gift for Jon.

"Any ideas?" She asked as she walked up and down the aisles. Sansa shook her head.

"I don't even know what I want it to say." Sansa said.

"Gifts don't talk San." Arya said, the _stupid_ was implied.

_I can't get him anything too personal, I don't know how much he's changed. I can't get him anything too nostalgic because he might think I think he hasn't changed. I don't want to get him something too simple because then he might think I don't care._ Arya wouldn't have gotten it, she was always familiar with Jon. Sansa would trust her judgement.

In the end Arya had chosen a Swiss Army knife in a leather case. "He's always been a practical guy, and he's probably using the same one he got when he turned eight." Sansa wasn't completely convinced, but gave in. She had treated Arya to coffee as a thanks for her help, and drove them back home.

"Do you want to start making the potatoes? I'll wrap everything later tonight." Arya agreed to the compromise as Sansa went up the stairs to her room. The tea set still poked out from under the bed, she hoped Arya would be pleased with it.

She was putting the turkey in the oven when Gendry arrived. Arya hadn't shrieked but Sansa had taken the silence as a warning to stay in the kitchen. Arya had joined her twenty minutes later looking flushed. She tried to hide her smile, but couldn't. Her sister had found love, she was allowed to be happy for her.

"Don't look at me like that!" Arya demanded.

"You're happy! I'm allowed to be happy for you," Sansa told her as she stirred the gravy. Gendry had come down the stairs, and Arya steered him right out.

"Set the table or something, I can't have you and Sansa comparing daydreams." Gendry took her brush off with a smile and accepted the plates from her hands. She and Arya were cooking in silence when he returned, from the corner of her eye she saw him wrap his arms around her middle and rest his head on her shoulder, watching her at work. It was a familiar, affectionate move; Sansa had seen her parents take such a stance since she was a young girl. Joffrey had never taken such measures, only touching her in public to assert his ownership of her; Willias was sweet, but was never public with his affections at all. Had she missed out on her chance at the kind of love her parents had?

She had been pulling the turkey out of the oven when everyone had gotten home. She set it on the counter and went about finding the tools to carve it. Her dad kissed the top of her head and took the knife from her.

The addition of a ninth body to the table changed the seating. Her dad still sat at the head of the table, and her mom between him and Rickon. Arya was between Gendry and Rickon. Bran opposite of their dad, Sansa beside him and Jon between her and Robb. She was drinking wine and it made her flushed and bubbly. Sitting beside Jon had set her senses on edge as well. Robb's stories grew jumbled with wine, fortunately Jon seemed to be clearheaded as ever and was able to finish the stories despite his drink.

Gendry had impressed her family in his treatment of Arya. Sansa knew it would, he treated Arya like a queen, with a joking overtone, lest she realize the sweetness of his gestures. Her mother was noticing, and took her fathers hand, they shared a secret smile. One more glass of wine would make her weep over the sweetness surrounding her.

"Are you actually going to talk to Jon?" Arya asked her. Sansa shrugged as she washed one of the pans they had been using. "You'd be stupid not to, he was staring at you through dinner."

"He was not," Sansa scoffed, "he was right next to me, I would have noticed."

Arya let out a bark of laughter. "You two really are made for each other. You're always so busy looking at everyone else you don't realize what's happening to you. You're both idiots, and if you don't talk to him tonight I won't be helping either of you anymore."

Sansa didn't mention to Arya that she wasn't the one who brought up her lack of relationship with Jon. "What do you mean helping either of us?"

Arya threw her hands in the air, "I know I call you an idiot but I know you aren't dim Sansa. He likes you, you like him, the end." She stormed out of the kitchen at that leaving Sansa to dry the dishes. She took her time, anticipation building in her stomach. She would have to talk to him tonight, really talk.

She took her time changing into her pajamas, brushing her hair out, sliding her slippers on, making sure the gifts for the morning were wrapped. She had run out of excuses when she had tied little bows onto each gift. She hesitantly knocked on the door separating his room from the shared bathroom. She heard the bed creak and footfalls to the door.

"Sansa?" The end table light was on, so were his glasses.

"May I come in?" he stepped aside quickly allowing her to enter. A book was laying open on the end table, and the light was dim. Perhaps she should have invited him into her room instead, where the lights were brighter and the atmosphere different. _Too late now_, she told herself.

She sat on his bed, back straight, hands folded in her lap, and feet on the gound. She couldn't collapse against it like she had her sister's just the night before. "How have you been?" she asked, trying not to twist her fingers.

"I've been ok," he nodded, marking his spot in the book before closing it.

"How was your dad?" It was the reason he had left four years ago, to find his dad. "I mean I know you found him, but after that…"

"I'm sorry," he said instantly. "I didn't want to weigh you down with my stuff, you were going to school, you had-you have enough to worry about."

She wondered how long he had repeated that phrase to himself, it was the most he had said to her without prompting. "I was worried, my number hasn't changed you know." She watched his Adam's apple bob. She had to be honest; she had to be brave. "I thought you'd gotten sick of me." He opened his mouth to contradict her, but she had to go on, if she was going to do this she would have him know. "I was just some silly high school girl, you'd just finished school; I was scared before you left, but after I didn't have anyone outside of my family I could really trust."

He had taken her face in his large hand. "I didn't tell you then, I didn't really realize I guess, but I really liked you. Maybe I still do." His gaze was still locked on her. "And now you know, and that's what I wanted to say." He kissed her then. His mouth was soft against hers, it was simple kiss, but she wouldn't be able to compare it to any of the others she's ever received.

"I thought Arya was joking." She shook her head. His phone started to buzz. it wasn't an iPhone, but it was better than a flip phone. "Hang on, it just keeps going off until I read the message." He clicked around and said, "it's from Arya." He set the phone down on the nightstand and opened the drawer. His face went red, and she tried to peer over his shoulder. He pulled a note card out; _Don't say I never gave you anything, and don't forget to lock the door, Merry Christmas_.


End file.
